Display cartons



April 25, 1967 J PUCKETT 3,315,931

DISPLAY CARTONS Filed May 15, 1964 4 Sheets-$heet 1 IN VENTOR 5 22-55241... W 9 BY 7km (1,4 M-%% ATTORNEY5 April 25, 19s? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1964 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS April 25, 1967 J. J. PUCKETT 3,315,931

DISPLAY CARTONS Filed May 15, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY 9&zaw Qu -86a;

ATTORNEYS April 25, 1967 J. .1. PUCKETT DISPLAY CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 15, 1964 I NVENTOR 2 7&2? Grad ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,315,931 DISPLAY CARTONS James .I. Puckett, Checlrtowaga, N.Y., assignor to F. N. Burt Company, Inc, Bulfalo, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 15, 1964, Ser. No. 367,829 Claims. (Ql. 248-174) This invention relates to display cartons for the containment, packing, and transport of articles of merchandise.

The general object of the invention is to provide novel and improved cartons of the class described which are easy and economical to construct, and which are adapted to securely support the article while at the same time exposing a major portion thereof to view.

In its more particular aspects, the invention contemplates the provision of display cartons which can be erected from a one-piece blank of cardboard to provide an gular wings extending outwardly from a grooved or pocketed central portion in which the article may be nested. Retainer web, strap, or keeper means are provided at the top and bottom portions of the carton into which are fitted the upper and lower ends of an article. The lower keeper portions in all embodiments are of a box-like quadrilateral configuration having interlocking tucked bottom flaps or tabs but opening upwardly to retain the lower end of the article.

This box-like bottom part provides a small area of flat surface upon which the carton and its contents may rest with some degree of stable equilibrium. At the same time the spreading Wing-like panels extend in various degrees of angularity from the central nest or pocket in which the article is deposited. These panels give a balanced appearance to the carton, afford somewhat more stable equilibrium, and also provide wider areas for the imprinting of advertising or descriptive matter if desired.

A concomitant object of the invention is the provision of novel one-piece blanks from which the cartons are made. These blanks are scored or creased for ready folding: first in half, whereby the two creased halves cooperate to provide the central nests or pockets for the articles; and secondly, lower portions are folded to rectangular shape and projecting flaps are interfolded and locked to retain these bottom panels in their erected condition.

A feature of both the blanks and the central nesting portions of the cartons, in certain embodiments of the invention, is the convergent taper of the crease or score lines from top to bottom, whereby the upper article retaining parts are so formed as to snugly embrace the top of the article.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view in perspective of a display carton embodying the principles of the invention, and containing an article of merchandise illustrative of those which may be appropriately displayed therein;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the carton illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower portion of the carton as taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of the uppermost portion of the carton;

plan view of the lower portion FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton of FIGURES 1-7 is formed;

FIGURE 9 is a view in front elevation of another embodiment of display carton for containing a similar article of merchandise;

FIGURE 10 is a view in rear elevation of this embodiment;

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of the carton;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of the blank used in forming the carton illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10;

FIGURE 13 is a view in front elevation of still another embodiment of the invention, this one adapted to contain an elongated article of quite narrow lateral dimension;

FIGURE 14 is a top plan view of the carton of FIG- URE 12;

FIGURE 15 is a view in perspective as seen from an upward rearward point of observation;

FIGURE 16 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 16-16 of FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 17 is a plan view of a blank used in the construction of the carton of FIGURES 1315.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 1-8 of the drawings wherein is illustrated the first embodiment of the invention, it will be seen that the novel one-piece display carton is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and has a generally rectilinear bottom portion which tapers upwardly to present a flattened or collapsed substantially lozenge or diamond-shaped opening for snug engagement with the upper end portion of the article 100. The article illustrated as being appropriately confined in the display carton 10 is in this instance a collapsible dispensing tube containing material such as toothpaste or the like.

Perhaps the best approach in describing the details of the construction and the erection of the novel carton would be by way of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 8 of the drawings, this blank being designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprising a one-piece scored sheet of cardboard or similar material. and being of a somewhat tapered construction, one end portion of the blank in plan aspect being somewhat wider than the other.

The blank 10' consists essentially of two major areas A and B joined by the score line 11 along which these areas may be folded for erection of the carton.

Incidentally, the plan view as shown in FIGURE 8 is an inside view of the blank showing the surfaces which are to be brought together and adhesively secured.

The area A constitutes the front panel of the carton adjacent the score line 12b is a closure larly joined to the lower edge of the panel 11 is the larger closure flap D with its tuck tab D the flap D forming the bottom surface of the carton when erected. These flaps together with a third flap E extending from one of the sub-panels of the rear panel B of the blank, constitute the closure flaps for the box-like bottom portion of the carton.

The rearward main panel B is divided into sub-panels c, d, e and f separated respectively along the score lines 13, 14, and 15. The closure flap E is hingedly secured to the lower edge of the sub-panel d.

A V-notch 18 is cut symmetrically in the upper portions of the sub-panels d and e.

An inspection of the blank 10' as shown in FIGURE 8 will reveal that the width of the panel 0 is slightly less than the width of the intermediate portion of the panel b and similarly, the width of the panel f is slightly less than the width of the major intermediate portion of the panel a. Thus, when the major panels A and B are folded together, the area of the small panel 7" registers with a narrowed portion of the panel a which has been designated a and the surface of the small panel registers with the area b of the panel b.

The surfaces of the respective panels 1 and a and c and b; are coated with adhesive so that when the panels A and B are brought together face to face, these panel portions will adhere permanently. It will also be obvious from an inspection of the blank and of the other figures showing the carton in various aspects, that the edges g and h of the opening F will protrude inwardly to form flanges or ledges around the opening or window P which aid in maintaining the article 100 in place.

In bringing the two main panels A and B together, care is taken to maintain the lower ends of panels a and b at right angles to each other, the apex of the angle being along the score line 1211. At the same time, the sub-panels d and 2 will themselves assume a right-angular configuration centering on the score line 14. In squaring up the lower ends of these panels no particular attention need be paid to the relative positions of the upper portions thereof, but they may be permitted to assume whatever position they will.

When the lower inward portions of the sub-panels a and b, together with the lower portions of the sub-panels d and e are squared up, then the flaps C and E are folded at right angles with the main paneling and finally the bottom flap D is folded over at right angles and the tuck flap or tab D inserted in the usual way to interlock with the flaps C and E to form a tuck-in rectilinear box-closure at the very base of the central portion of the carton. The interlocking of the fiaps is aided by the slits 17 which cooperate with the shallow shoulders H on the tabs C and E.

Although the front or forwardly-facing sub-panels a and b stand at right angles near the base of the carton and the sub-panels d and e also intersect at right angles at said base, the natural stiffness of the cardboard material will cause the wing-like extensions of the sub-panels a and b and the adhering sub-panels c and f to assume an angularity much greater than a 90 angle at the top of the carton. Thus, as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2 the angularity of these principal panels at the upper end of the carton is nearer 150 but may of course vary rather widely, in accordance with the nature of the article contained and the relative stiffness of the materials, say between 120 and 175.

Conforming to this wider angularity, the central retaining or enveloping portion of the upper end of the carton-as between the upper inward portions of the subpanels a and b and the sub-panels b and e, adjacent the notch 18-will assume a partially collapsed or flattened diamond shape; and this configuration well adapts the socket or retainer portion at the upper end of the carton for snugly retaining the wind-up end 101 of the paste tube 100, while the screw cap end 102 occupies the box-like pocket formed at the rectangular lower end of the display carton.

A second example of the practice of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 9-12 of the drawings. The general arrangement of this embodiment designated 20 is quite similar to the one previously described, but certain variations are introduced in the upward portions of the arrangement.

In FIGURE 12 the carton blank 20' is shown in plan view with the outside surface areas showing, the adhesive of course being applied to portions of the opposite faces to those seen in this figure. The principal panels are designated H and I and the front panel H is sub-divided into smaller panels j and k, a window opening M being cut in these panels and intersecting the fold lines 22a and 22b which join the sub-panels j and k.

The principal panel I is sub-divided into minor panel areas m and n joined by the score line 23a and the shorter panels 0 and p which are themselves joined along the score line 23b and are respectively connected to lower portions of the panels m and n by the score lines 24 and 25. It will be noted that the minor panels In and n arch over the panels 0 and p and the upper ends of the latter panels are separated from the wider portions of the paneling m and n by the slit N.

Perforations P and P may be punched in the main panels H and I intersecting the score lines 22a and 23a whereby the carton may be suspended if desired.

Bottom closure flaps J, K and L together with the tuck-in flap K correspond exactly to the similar flaps C, D, E, and D of the first embodiment and are interlocked when the bottom portions of the carton are assembled in rectilinear fashion in the same way as previously described.

The major difference between this embodiment and the embodiment of the earlier figures of drawing lies in the fact that the rearward folding of the sub-panel o and p at the apex 23b terminates at the slit N and the inwardly arching upper portions of the panels In and n follow the configuration of the upper portions of the panels j and k and are adhesively secured thereto across the entire width, the fold 23a thus being in the opposite direction than the fold 23b.

All this is most clearly shown in FIGURES 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings.

Although either end of the supported article may be disposed upwardly or downwardly within the carton, a tube is shown with the screw cap portion downwardly in FIGURES 1-8 of the drawings and a similar tube 209 is shown with the screw cap portion upwardly in FIG- URES 911. The article can of course be reversed in either of these showings, with only minor distortion of the carton.

In FIGURES 13-17 of the drawings, there is illustrated a further modification of the novel carton which is adapted as compared with the previously described is adapted for the enclosure and support of a quite narrow article as compared with the previously described cartons. The carton 30 is intended to contain a slender article 300 suggested in FIGURE 13 and which may comprise, for example, a fountain pen or a ball point pen.

The blank 30' shown in FIGURE 17 of the drawings differs in some respects from those of the earlier described cartons particularly in the fact that there is provided no window opening, the necessary interruption of the front panel for display purposes comprising the provision that certain portions of the front panel of the carton are reverse-folded to provide a trough or bed for the article to be displayed and having forwardly-folded retainer portions near the top and bottom of the carton as will presently be described.

The blank 30' is shown in inside plan in FIGURE 17 and comprises the main front and rear pane'ls Q and R joined along the score line 31.

The rear panel R comprises the sub-panels u, v, w and x respectively joined by the score lines 40, 41 and 42. A bot-tom flap U is hinged to the lower edge of the sub-panel v.

The front panel Q has a central score or crease line 32 and two upwardly divering score lines 33 and 44 which would intersect adjacent the lowermost closure flaps if prolonged downwardly. These score lines divide the front panel Q into sub-panels q, r, s and t as shown.

Bottom closure flap S is hingedly connected to the narrowed projected lower portion of the sub-panel s and also to the inward portion of the sub-panel q. Bottom flap T is similarly hingedly connected to the narrowed down ward projection of the sub-panel t and the inward portion of the lower edge of the sub-panel r, and is provided with a tuck-in flap T as in the other embodiments.

In this embodiment the sub-panels s and 1 actually terminate at the transverse slit W and the lines of projection or prolongation 33a and 34a are actually not employed in folding the panel; but the rectangular base portion, similar to the corresponding base portions of the other cartons, is creased along the fold line 32b is a prolongation of the fold line 32.

The inside faces of sub-panels u and x are coated with an appropriate adhesive as suggested by the dotted areas in FIGURE 17, and corresponding areas a and x of the sub-panels q and r respectively are similarly coated for adhesion to the sub-panels u and x when the blank is folded along the center fold line 31.

With the marginal panels q and r, and u and x thus firmly secured together in faceto-face relationship, the central portions of the partially assembled blank may be bulged apart at the bottom portion of the partial assembly and the front panel areas q and r, together with their adhering sub-panels u and x move to a position at right angles to each other; whereupon the flaps S and U are folded together and the bottom flap T with its tongue or tab T inserted and interlocked to provide the closure of the square bottom portion of the carton as clearly shown in FIGURE 16 of the drawings.

When this step in the assembly is accomplished, the bottom portion remains in its rectangular position with the wing panels u, r and q, x extending outwardly at a definite right angle to each other. However, the upper portion of the carton between the sub-panels v, w and the sub-panels s, 2 may separate slightly as indicated in FIGURE 14 and the upper portion of FIGURE 15. At the same time, the reverse-bent portion y of the forwardly facing panels projects outwardly to provide an upward retaining strap portion with an opening adjacent the slit y for the entrance of the upper portion of the article 300 to be contained and displayed in the carton; and the lower end of the article 300 enters the opening provided by the cross slit W. Below the slit W the carton maintains its square box-like structure, while the portions consisting of the sub-panels s and I provide an interruption in the continuity, corresponding to the window provision in the other embodiments, to form the nest or trough extending upwardly at least to the strap portion y at the slit y There is therefore provided a trough or nest for the article 300 and means at the top and bottom thereof whereby it is securely retained and displayed to prospective purchasers.

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope thereof as determined by the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A. display carton for elongate articles comprising a single sheet of foldable material providing a hollowed-out carton body to cradle said article, and to embrace and retain it in place at the top and bottom thereof while exposing the medial portion to view; said carton comprising a front wall structure and a rear wall structure; means for securing lateral marginal portions of said wall structures together in angular relationship; each of said wall structures bent along a longitudinal center line to divide it into two angularly related panels, the respective angular corners thus formed facing forwardly and rearwardly of the carton; the front wall structure having an elongated medial opening cut therein; the angled panels and the angular connect-ion of the edges of the wall structures providing a quadrangular cross-section at the lower end of the carton, and a bottom closure structure thereat serving to rigidly maintain said quadrangular section in rectangular relationship; the angled rearward wall structure alone providing a trough-like intermediate structure for the reception of the article; the forwardly facing angular panel junction of the uppermost portion of the front wall structure above the opening, forming with said angular rear wall panels a flattened quadrangle but free from any bracing structure which would tend to force said flattened quadrangle to strict rectangular configuration; whereby the wall panels are free to assume a partially collapsed, non-rectangular relationship to more snugly grip and retain the upper end portions of the article at such upper part of the carton.

2. The display carton as set forth in claim 1 in which said wall structures are of upwardly converging tapered configuration, whereby an even closer engagement of the article by the quadrangular upper end structure of the carton is assured.

3. The display carton as set forth .in claim 1 in which the view opening in the angled front wall is slightly narrower than the width of the front and rear wall structures themselves whereby a narrow forward retaining flange is left at the opposite edgees of the opening.

4. A one-piece blank for the preparation of a collapsible display carton comprising a pair of main panels connected along adjacent edges of a central fold line, one of said main panels divided by fold lines into two subpanels for the production of angularly-connected, adjacent, forwardly-facing Walls of the finished carton and lateral wings comprised of extensions of said walls; the other of said main panel-s divided int-o four parallel subpanels by fold lines, the inward two of said last named sub-panels adapted to provide angularly connected rearwardly facing walls complementing the forwardly facing walls, the remote two of the four last named sub-panels being coated with adhesive to adhere to the outward wing-providing portions of the two first-named sub-panels of the first main panel, intermediate portions of the adjoining sub-panels of the first named main panel being provided with an opening for the display of the contained article.

5. The carton blank as set forth in claim 4 in which all of said main and sub-panels are tapered, their lateral margins converging from bottom to top thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,207,604 12/1916 Morgan 248l52 2,059,823 11/ 193 6 Sunderhauf 248-474 2,084,635 6/1937 'Friedr-ich et al. 248-15'2 X 2,232,224 2/1941 Godell 2481'52 2,241,075 5/ 1941 Sunderhauf 248-152 2,727,620 12/1955 Buttery 206-4519 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DISPLAY CARTON FOR ELONGATE ARTICLES COMPRISING A SINGLE SHEET OF FOLDABLE MATERIAL PROVIDING A HOLLOWED-OUT CARTON BODY TO CRADLE SAID ARTICLE, AND TO EMBRACE AND RETAIN IT IN PLACE AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM THEREOF WHILE EXPOSING THE MEDIAL PORTION TO VIEW; SAID CARTON COMPRISING A FRONT WALL STRUCTURE AND A REAR WALL STRUCTURE; MEANS FOR SECURING LATERAL MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID WALL STRUCTURES TOGETHER IN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP; EACH OF SAID WALL STRUCTURES BENT ALONG A LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE TO DIVIDE IT INTO TWO ANGULARLY RELATED PANELS, THE RESPECTIVE ANGULAR CORNERS THUS FORMED FACING FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OF THE CARTON; THE FRONT WALL STRUCTURE HAVING AN ELONGATED MEDIAL OPENING CUT THEREIN; THE ANGLED PANELS AND THE ANGULAR CONNECTION OF THE EDGES OF THE WALL STRUCTURES PROVIDING A QUADRANGULAR CROSS-SECTION AT THE LOWER END OF THE CARTON, AND A BOTTOM CLOSURE STRUCTURE 